It's time to update those contact managers with CoStar's People of Note, reporting news on significant new CRE hires and promotions. This week's issue includes the following markets: Chicago, New York City, Phoenix, Atlanta, Dallas, San Diego, Boston, Houston, Charlotte, Southwest Florida, Pittsburgh, Las Vegas, Raleigh, and Columbus.CHICAGO

Jones Lang LaSalle (NYSE: JLL) named the current CEO of its Markets Solutions division and former Staubach Co. CEO Greg O'Brien as its new Chief Executive Officer, Americas. He will report directly to Colin Dyer, President and CEO of JLL. In his new role, O'Brien will take over responsibility for all the Americas business.

Taking over for O'Brien as the head of the Americas Markets business will be John Gates, another former Staubach executive. Gates previously held the role of President of Real Estate Services, Americas.

In his previous role as CEO, Markets Solutions, O'Brien led the organization's businesses responsible for more than 60 percent of Americas revenue while expanding through organic growth and the acquisition of its brokerage, capital markets, industrial, project and development services, property management and retail groups. Before that, O'Brien served as CEO, Brokerage, where he increased broker productivity and drove revenue growth to more than $730 million in 2012. He was the CEO of The Staubach Company in 2008 when it merged with Jones Lang LaSalle.

O'Brien holds an MBA from Harvard Business School and graduated magna cum laude from Tufts University with a bachelor's in electrical engineering. Gates earned his MBA in finance from the University of Texas at Austin, and a bachelor's in economics / finance from Trinity University.

New York City-based development company Silverstein Properties, Inc. has appointed Martin S. Burger as its chief executive officer. In his new role, Burger will lead the day-to-day operations as well as seeking new development projects in the United States, China, Eastern Europe and Israel.

Burger joined the firm in 2010 after serving as president and CEO at Artisan Real Estate Ventures, which he founded in 2006. Before that he was the president of Related Las Vegas and an executive vice president at The Related Companies LP, and held positions at The Blackstone Group and Goldman Sachs' Whitehall Real Estate Funds.

As his first act as CEO, Burger will bring on Robert Vescler as executive vice president, leading its residential developments and acquisition efforts. Additional appointments include Tal Kerret as chief investment officer, tasked with asset portfolio management, growth strategy and investor relations; Bill Dacunto as executive vice president of management; and Dara McQuillan as chief marketing and communications officer.

CoStar's People of Note is published each Friday covering the latest commercial real estate executive level promotions and new hires. Click on the headline of each article to jump to full coverage. Follow the news on Twitter @TheCoStarGroup and @JSumner2.
Send your new executive hires and promotion announcements to news@costar.com.PHOENIX

Colliers International in Greater Phoenix has promoted 24 brokers, making the announcement at a company meeting on January 15th. The firm promotes brokers in the first quarter each year.

The company named Cindy Cooke, Jim Keeley, and Tom Woods (pictured, right) to senior executive vice president, a new title for the office and indicative of the trio's more than 70 combined years of experience with Colliers.

Bull Realty, a commercial real estate sales, leasing and advisory firm, added Stuart Cott, Jeremiah Jarmin and William Jackel to its head office in Atlanta.

Stuart Cott, a 30-year industry veteran with experience representing both multi-billion dollar companies and local entrepreneurs alike, will serve as president of the firm's corporate office services division.

Jarmin will take on the vice president role for the apartment group at Bull Realty, while Jackel will serve as an associate for the firm's national net lease investment group.

Jonathan Tobolowsky joined E. Smith Realty Partners as its executive vice president of retail services.

In his new role, Tobolowsky will provide tenant representation, sales, leasing and advisory services to retail tenants, landlords and property owners.

Tobolowsky formerly served as assistant vice president with The Weitzman Group. Prior to that, he was an associate with Colliers International, where he founded the company's New Generation program and managed more than 60 brokers across the country.

Andrew Ewald has joined CBRE San Diego’s occupier services group as a vice president, where he will represent tenants in the leasing of office and industrial space.

Prior to joining CBRE, Ewald led the tenant advisory group at Cassidy Turley in San Diego. While there, he represented companies such as Qualcomm, Genworth Financial, and Arrowhead General Insurance.

John Frager, managing director of CBRE San Diego said, "Andrew has an impressive record of navigating highly complex transactions for local and national corporate users. We are thrilled to have him as part of the team and anticipate that CBRE will afford him an even greater level of success."

In his new role, Leighton will help structure and execute strategic tenant advisory initiatives and serve institutional clients in Houston.

In 2013 alone, Leighton negotiated more than 20 commercial sale transactions in excess of 1 million square feet in the US. He also completed 30 transactions for an international client in The Hague, Netherlands.

Crouse joined NorthMarq Capital in 2008 where he served as president / owner and specialized in loan originations and brokerage transactions. Previously, Crouse served as a certified public accountant for KPMG.

Crouse will co-manage the Raleigh and Charlotte office with Bill Matone, who has been managing director of NorthMarq’s Charlotte office since the mid-1990s.

Chandra Graham has joined Chris Toci and Chad Littell in Cushman & Wakefield of Arizona's capital markets group as a director.

Graham previously served as a director in the firm's valuation and advisory services group. She brings 15 years of experience in the Southwest and Mid-Atlantic regions, where she specializes in office, industrial and medical office properties. She has held valuation and advisory services positions at CBRE, Colliers, and Newmark Grubb Knight Frank, as well as serving as director of research for Ensemble Real Estate.

"With her deep experience in the valuation world, Chandra brings a diverse, analytical background to the team that will be instrumental as our investment sale volume continues to increase and as we move through the Phoenix recovery cycle," said Toci.

Ryan Leffler has joined Colliers International Southwest Florida as a director, office services. In his new role, he will focus on the sale and leasing of medical and office space throughout Sarasota and Collier County.

Leffler was previously the president of Leffler and Associates in Fort Myers, where he worked in commercial real estate development, sales, leasing, and property management. He brings 15 years of experience in a career that has seen transactions totaling more than $100 million.

Leffler is a member of the CCIM Institute and is a former board member of the Lee County Humane Society.